iHeartRadio Music Awards Return March 26 With Performances, Special Honors

Three of the most influential girl groups in hip-hop and R&B history shared a stage tonight for the first time ever. The all-star performance from TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue came just days after the trio announced dates for their upcoming It's Iconic joint tour, a first-ever co-headlining trek bringing together three of the most influential hip-hop/R&B girl groups of the modern era.

The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards featured performances by Alex Warren, Lainey Wilson, Ludacris and RAYE, with Ludacris hosting the annual event and receiving the 2026 iHeartRadio Landmark Award. Miley Cyrus was honored with the 2026 iHeartRadio Innovator Award, and Alex Warren received the 2026 iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award.

iHeartMedia and FOX Entertainment also announced that Taylor Swift, this year's most-nominated artist with nine nominations, made a special appearance at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, her first award show appearance this year. Swift was nominated for Song of the Year ("The Fate of Ophelia"), Artist of the Year, Pop Artist of the Year, Pop Song of the Year, Favorite TikTok Dance, Best Lyrics, Best Music Video, Favorite on Screen, and Favorite Tour Style.

The show also honored John Mellencamp with the 2026 iHeartRadio Icon Award, with Mellencamp performing at the event. Mellencamp's five-decade career has spawned iconic hits including "Jack & Diane," "Pink Houses" and "Small Town," among many others. This summer, Mellencamp will embark on his highly anticipated Dancing Words Tour: The Greatest Hits, performing songs that have defined his career, many of which he hasn't played live in decades.

The Landmark Award honors artists whose portfolio has shaped culture across multiple decades. Ludacris broke through with his major label debut album "Back for the First Time" (2000), going on to deliver multi-platinum albums including "Word of Mouf" (2001), "Chicken-n-Beer" (2003) and "The Red Light District" (2004). Over the course of his career, he earned three Grammy Awards and expanded his cultural impact through acclaimed acting roles, including his long-running role as Tej Parker in the Fast & Furious franchise. With 17 million albums sold in the U.S. and 24 million records sold worldwide, Ludacris remains one of hip-hop's most successful and influential artists.

"I'm excited to return as host of the iHeartRadio Music Awards to celebrate and perform alongside some of the best in the industry," said Ludacris. "It's going to be a night with special performances and surprise moments fans are going to love."

Alex Warren's Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award recognized his shattering of all-time Mediabase chart records, spending 16 weeks at No. 1 on Top 40 and 29 weeks at No. 1 on Hot AC. Past recipients of the iHeartRadio Innovator Award include Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams, Bruno Mars, U2, Alicia Keys and Lady Gaga.

The ceremony also featured special appearances by Alysa Liu, Ne-Yo, Nicole Scherzinger, Nikki Glaser, sombr and Weezer. Liu is this year's Winter Olympic gold medalist, adding another cross-cultural dimension to the star-studded bill.

The 13th annual iHeartRadio Music Awards celebrated the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2025, while also offering a preview of the upcoming hits of 2026. The show aired live on FOX from 8 to 10 p.m. ET out of the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, with the broadcast also available on iHeartRadio stations nationwide and through the iHeartRadio app.